The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-11-10
STRANGE MEXICAN SUPERSTITION.
A Spectre in Beautiful Guise Whose
Kiss Invariably Proves Fatal.
From the San Francisco Chronicle

| LAlcS TTON6S faJd1s
From the San Francisco Chronicle.
The Santa Cruz ghost, which is engross-
ing the attention of the citizens of that
famous watering place by its midnight
revelries, recalls a legend of San Juan, in
the adjoining county, told the writer many
years ago by a narrator no less credible
than a good old spanish priest, with whom
the writer happened to be staying on a few
days visit
One morning after breakfast I expressed
a wish to stroll into the ancient graveyard
attached to the old adobe church of that
quaint little Mexican town. The old padre.
with the kindness and courtesy characters
tic of the simple missionary fathers, at once
| acceded and accompanied the writer, re-
lating as we walked among the graves the
brief history of some who lay quietly be-
meath. Here" he observed, with a quiet
smile as he pointed 10 grave in the middle
of the cemetery, there is grave which the
simple old Mexican families around here
look upon with unusual interest, if not with
actual awe"
"a murderg
mo, no! Something much stranger,
have tried to combat the idea, and while |
would be addressing the people they would
say, Isl, 81, padre They would assent to
| all | said, but the belief remained and does
remain indelible
"a spirit" he began, sis said to have ap-
peared to every one buried in that grave.
and to warn the family whenever any of
them is about to pass away.
Its appearance, which is generally made
in the following manner, is believed to
be uniformly fatal, being an omen of
death to those who are SO unhappy as to
meet with it,.
"When funeral takes place the spirit is
said to watch the person who remains last
in the graveyard, over whom it possesses
fascinating influence.
IF the person be a young man the spirit
takes the shape of fascinating female in
spires him with a charmed passion, and ex-
acts promise that he will meet her at the
graveyard month from that day. This
promise is sealed with a kiss that communi-
Gates deadly faint to him who complies
1.-The spirit then disappears. No sooner
does the person from whom it received the
promise and the kiss pass the boundary of
the churchyard than he remembers the his
tory of the spectre. He sinks into despair
and insanity, and dies If on the contrary,
the spectre appears to a female, it assumes
the form OF young man of exceeding
elegance and beauty"
The padre showed me the grave of a
young person about Is years of age. who
was said four months before TO have fallen
NlcUlm 10 H. len months ago. the
father said, ga man gave the promise and
the fatal kiss and consequently looked upon
himself as lost, He took a fever and died
and was buried on the day appointed for
the meeting, which was exactly a month
after the fatal interview.
Incredible as it may appear the friends
of these two persons solemnly declared to
me that the particulars of the interview
were repeatedly detailed by the two persons
without the slightest variation.
There are several cases of the same kind
mentioned, but the two cases alluded TO are
the only ones that came within my personal
knowledge.
ut appears, however. that the spectre
does not contine its operations to the grave
yard only. There have been instances men
toned of its appearance at weddings and
social parties where it never failed to secure
its victims by dancing them into pleuritic
fevers."
On being questioned as to what he might
think of such possible occurrences, the good
father simply smiled and shook his head.